Dreamscapes

“…and what shall I love if not the enigma.

— Giorgio de Chirico

De Chirico’s paintings may seem incomprehensible, as we try to anchor a thread of reason and recognizability in his compositions. However, it is precisely the combination of precision and ambiguity that hints at reality without directly making the connection. Architecture of nearly empty cities, mannequins, and shadows trigger an inkling that they are part of a narrative, but even a series of similar paintings does not suggest a coherent set of symbolic associations.

Chirico was undoubtedly influenced by the avant-garde movements of the time, and the closest interpretations of his work probably come from references to contemporary plays, books, and philosophies. At the same time, his paintings portray a level of the subconscious that can not be explained in a logical manner, as it “will enter the regions of childhood vision and dream.”